Brexit took the UK out of the EU, but not out of the EU market. Directive (EU) 2019/882 requires EU-based businesses to comply with web accessibility standards. If you supply services, products or digital content to EU partners or consumers, they will require accessibility documentation from you — just as GDPR required data protection compliance from non-EU businesses. EAA-Report generates the WCAG 2.1 AA report and Accessibility Declaration in 15 minutes.
When GDPR came into force, UK businesses initially assumed it was only an EU concern. Within months, every UK business processing EU residents' data had to comply. The European Accessibility Act follows the same pattern. Directive (EU) 2019/882 requires accessibility compliance for digital services offered to EU consumers. If you sell into the EU, you're in scope — not directly by UK law, but through your EU partners' compliance requirements.
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) reinforced this pattern: EU marketplaces now require non-EU sellers to have an EU-based responsible person. The EAA adds another layer: accessibility documentation. Your EU customers, distributors and marketplace partners will require it as a contractual condition.
Directive (EU) 2019/882 does not apply in the UK as domestic law. But its reach extends to UK businesses through three mechanisms:
Your EU-based customers must comply with the EAA. They will require their suppliers — including UK-based ones — to provide accessibility documentation as part of procurement and contract terms. No documentation, no contract.
EU marketplaces must comply with the Directive for their platforms. They are increasingly requiring sellers — regardless of country — to demonstrate accessibility compliance. This mirrors the GPSR pattern of requiring an EU responsible person.
EU companies conducting procurement will include EAA compliance in their due diligence checklist — just as they include GDPR compliance today. Having a WCAG 2.1 AA report and Accessibility Declaration ready positions you as a reliable EU supplier.
GDPR showed that EU regulations create de facto global standards. UK businesses that prepared early gained competitive advantage. The EAA follows the same trajectory. Early compliance means early competitive advantage in EU markets.
Results of the guided self-assessment of 17 applicable WCAG criteria. Each criterion marked as conformant, non-conformant, or not applicable.
Structured document per Article 13.2 of Directive (EU) 2019/882. The specific document EU partners and marketplace platforms will request.
Ready-to-paste HTML code for your website footer. Demonstrates visible commitment to accessibility — a signal EU partners look for.
Country-specific risk assessment for EU markets you serve. Identifies applicable penalties in each jurisdiction.
List of corrective actions ordered by impact. Practical roadmap for your development team.
Official sources cited: Directive (EU) 2019/882, standard EN 301 549 V3.2.1, applicable national transpositions and EUR-Lex link.
GDPR proved this wrong. GPSR reinforced it. The European Accessibility Act follows the same pattern. EU regulations create compliance obligations for anyone doing business with EU entities — regardless of where the business is headquartered. If you sell to EU consumers or supply EU businesses, the EAA matters to you.
By the time an EU partner requests your Accessibility Declaration, you're already behind. Procurement timelines don't wait for you to generate a report. Having the documentation ready before it's requested positions you as a prepared, reliable supplier — just as having GDPR documentation ready became a competitive advantage.
The UK has its own accessibility regulations (Equality Act 2010, PSBAR 2018), but they don't generate the specific documentation the EAA requires. Article 13.2 of Directive (EU) 2019/882 requires a specific Accessibility Declaration format. UK compliance alone doesn't satisfy EU requirements. You need EU-specific documentation.
Your EU partners and customers face these penalties for non-compliance. Their compliance obligation extends to requiring documentation from their supply chain — including UK suppliers:
BFSG. Per individual infringement. German businesses will require supplier documentation.
Ordonnance 2023-859. French partners will include EAA in procurement requirements.
Ley 11/2023. Spanish businesses face severe penalties and will cascade requirements.
Implementatiewet. ACM supervision. Dutch marketplace operators will require compliance.
EAA-Report generates a structured document per Article 13.2 of Directive (EU) 2019/882 from the information you provide. The accuracy, precision and completeness of that information is your responsibility as the service provider.
We guarantee that the document structure follows Article 13.2 of Directive (EU) 2019/882 and that the legal references cited are correct. We do not guarantee that a specific document will be accepted by a market surveillance authority in a particular case or by a commercial buyer in a procurement process.
EAA-Report is not legal advice. For specific situations, consult a lawyer or specialised regulatory consultancy.
The GDPR lesson applies: EU regulations reach UK businesses through commercial relationships. EAA-Report generates the WCAG 2.1 AA assessment and Accessibility Declaration per Article 13.2 of Directive (EU) 2019/882. Be ready before your EU partners ask.